


Cronkri in the club

by Ratholomew



Category: Homestuck
Genre: Angst, Angst and Hurt/Comfort, Edit from the future: I will not finish this lmao, I mean, M/M, My First Fanfic, its the first fic ive posted here and the first one i think im actually gonna finish lmao, maybe later - Freeform, not really but like - Freeform, sorry if you came for fish puns but thats taking a back seat for now, who knows - Freeform
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-11-20
Updated: 2019-11-22
Packaged: 2021-02-13 18:13:32
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 4,160
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21498358
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Ratholomew/pseuds/Ratholomew
Summary: Kankri goes to a party and regrets drinking
Relationships: Cronus Ampora/Kankri Vantas
Comments: 4
Kudos: 22





	1. Chapter 1

hey Chief, wvanna bet on if those two are fuckin or not?

You probably already know this, but the guy who just asked that question is Cronus Ampora, and at the moment this self indulgent fanfic starts, he has his shoulder propped up against an irritated looking mutant blood clad in his least favorite red sweater while the horribly overrated music blares at an ungodly level. The beat could probably be heard from miles down the street, if the building was even on a street, and it could definitely be felt in the heads of everyone who had decided to spend a part of their afterlife partying for no discernible reason other than they just wanted to vibe. 

Kankri, who honestly just wasn’t vibing with this scene at all, nor with the fact that Cronus just plopped his arm on his shoulder without any warning, had chosen a spot against the wall far enough away from the speakers in hopes that he wouldn’t contract hearing loss while trying to avoid the other party goers. Let’s be real here though, this is one of Meenah’s parties, everybody’s going to be needing hearing aids for at least a week after they leave. It was a bit odd that the fuschia blood would even want to host a party in the first place, given the fact that she never really had the best relationship with all of the trolls before they all died, but who was Kankri to judge? This was the afterlife after all, so there was a lot of time for a person to change. Whether that be for better or for worse was entirely up to them, however.

Something that had changed for Kankri was the fact that he allowed himself to get drunk at this party. Now keep in mind, he was no stranger to alcohol itself, and even had a cabinet full of the stuff back when he was alive, but that was just for him to consume on his own time. Despite how many outings Porrim had dragged him to in the past where other trolls tried to push him, and sometimes would even beg him to, he was vehemently opposed to drinking in public. Right now though, at this party that seemed to not have any real reason for going on, that seemed to be just another boring evening he had been coerced into coming to just to be left alone, seemed like a good a time as any to break that streak. This was the afterlife, after all, who cares how he acts? Certainly not him and his increasingly dizzying perspective on the living room.

Kankri turned his head to look at Cronus directly with a piercing glare, at which point the seadweller’s eyebrows raised in surprise and he lifted his arm from the other male’s shoulder.

Kan, are you drunk?

A sharp puff of air that could almost pass off as a laugh, if not for how pissed off he looked, blew out from Kankri’s nose in response.

And if I am? Why the hell sh9uld y9u care?

vwoah vwoah there, vwhy so aggressivwe? I’m just trying to talk to one of my friends at a party. Is that such a crime?

Cronus kept his normal laid back tone despite the fact that Kankri was glaring daggers at him. Kankri noticed, and took it as the seadweller not caring about how he was feeling at the moment. Wasn’t it was obvious that he wanted to be alone at the moment? Yet here the wannabe greaser was, standing next to him with his annoying smile and stupid hair that probably had enough grease that a McDonald’s grease traps would be jealous of him.

9h really? Y9u’re my friend? W9uld a friend ask me t9 6elittle the dignity 9f 9ur 9ther friend? W9uld a friend c9me up t9 me while I’m just trying t9 enj9y myself t9 the 6est 9f my a6ility in this place and ask such a disgustingly pers9nal questi9n a69ut s9me9ne wh9 w9uld pr96a6ly n9t want their private relati9nships aired 9ut in pu6lic? Fucking hell, Amp9ra, I’d expect 6etter fr9m y9u than t9 st99p s9 l9w as t9 fall 6ack 9n der9gat9ry t9pics such as that t9 h9ld a c9nversati9n with me

Despite the fact that he was slipping slowly downwards from his position on the wall, and that the stench of alcohol clung to his clothes so heavily, his speech was almost perfect, save for only the occasional slur or stutter. Concerned lingered in Cronus’s gaze. Kankri clearly wasn’t in the right frame of mind (clearly, since he was he was cursing way more than usual, which honestly wasn’t really too much, but it was still jarring), and he was trying his best not to let his words affect him. However, he couldn’t help but feel a twang of pain in his chest and prickling worry down his neck at the sound of Kankri’s words.

hey all im doing is just trying to hawve a normal conwversation and here you come up acting like I just called Porrim a vwhore. I mean you dont need me telling you that do you? you knovw her better than ewveryone else in her combined.

Oh no. Oh no no no no, that was fucking IT. Kankri may have had a sliver of patience left in his head before, but after those words it was gone faster than their lives being snuffed out by Meenah’s bomb. Maybe it was the fact that his head was pounding in more ways than one, or that the room seemed to be spinning around him every time he moved his head even a bit, but he was just absolutely done with this fishy fuck after how the way he talked about Porrim.

Speaking of Porrim, Kankri was a bit glad that she was on the other side of the room so she wouldn’t be able to interrupt while he spoke, like she so often did, because oh boy, was he about to rip Cronus a new one. After taking on final sip from his red solo cup, his sharp, yellow painted claws tore into the plastic before he threw it down a single dramatically whip of his hand. Well, it seemed more dramatic in his head than it actually looked, but at the very least his anger still came across efficiently enough. If nothing else, the fire that raged in his eyes was enough to get Cronus hold up his hands defensively. Cronus didn’t get any time to defend himself, however, as Kankri had already started going off before he even had the chance to open his mouth.

H9w. Fucking. DARE y9u say that a69ut her! Y9u d9n’t kn9w her like I d9 at all! Just 6ecause y9u’re a high6l99d y9u think y9u can say anything y9u want a69ut pe9ple l9wer 9n the spectrum, d9n’t y9u? Well, fine! Say whatever y9u damn well please! Just kn9w that n9 literally n9 9ne wants y9u here at all, g9t it? I 6et Meenah 9nly invited y9u hear 6ecause she th9ught it’d 6e funny t9 watch y9u make a fucking f99l 9f y9urself. All I wanted t9 d9 was have a nice peaceful time 9ver here 6y myself and here y9u c9me waltzing in and sp9uting the same n9nsense as y9u always d9. Well I’ve fucking had en9ugh 9f y9ur g9gdamn 6ullshit! N9t 9nly did I have t9 deal with y9ur incessant whining a69ut h9w l9nely y9u were when we were alive, 6ut n9w I have t9 deal with it while I’m dead 9N T9P 9F 9f this n9nsense! Y9u’re just s9 rude and- and-

Kankri’s rant was interrupted by a loud groan followed by his fist hitting the wall. Luckily for the hostess, he wasn’t a strong as he would lead himself to believe, and only ended up hurting himself rather than doing any damage to the wall. Hot, angry, drunken tears poured down his checks, although he wasn’t entirely too sure why he was crying. Maybe he did know, and was just trying to block out the reason, but the point still stood that his head aching like crazy. He rested his head against the wall, almost forgetting everything he had just said.

The music level dipped just enough so that Kankri could hear sniffling coming from where Cronus stood. Kankri turned his head then stared at him, bewildered. It wasn’t that Kankri hadn’t seen Cronus crying before, he had known all of the trolls in his friend group long enough to say most of the cry at least once, and Cronus was no stranger to doing so himself, but right now it was different. Now it didn’t seem like he was trying to use it as a tactic for attention, nor that he was actively trying to make Kankri pity him, as he frequently did with others, but rather he was genuinely upset.

What really tipped Kankri off was the fact that Cronus had never done this to him before. Sure, he had seen him tearing up when he tried and failed to get Meenah to date him for the millionth time, or when no one would listen to his songs the claimed to work tirelessly on, but he’d never done so in front of Kankri. So now, when he saw the seadweller’s cheeks were flushed a bright violet, and his breath hitched from him trying to hold back his tears, it was enough to snap Kankri out of his drunken state, at least enough to properly process what he had just said.

Cr9nus I-

Yo what the shell happened over here

Kankri was interrupted by a familiar voice piping up, giving both the boys even harder whiplash than they had gotten from both Kankri’s rant and their own tears. Meenah was standing beside the two with her arms crossed and her hip jutting out. Her solid white eyes looked over the scene with an inquisitive, curious look

You two look like a coupla waterlogged sailors. And by that I mean you guys looks like absolute shit. The fuck even happened? I swear to cod Cronus if you tried doin anythin to him at my party then I’ll-

N9 n9! He didn’t d9 anything…. It’s n9thing really 9f y9ur c9ncern Meenah. It’d actually 6e a l9t 6etter if y9u just left s9 we c9uld-

forget it Cronus interrupted 

I...6eg y9ur 6ard9n? Kankri asked cautiously 

i said its fine. you obwviously don’t vwant me here and I vwas just about to leawve anywvays so you tvwo cool cats can chat it up all you vwant vwithout me gettin in the wvay

With that, Cronus stormed off towards exit. He grabbed a leather jacket from the couch and slipped it on before loudly slamming the door shut. There was a brief pause in a few people’s chatterings, although it didn’t last for long. Everyone continued on their night as usual, as if nothing had happened at all, while Meenah and Kankri were left to stand awkwardly in each other’s presence.


	2. I'm fine I swear m9m

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Kankri be cryin in the club

damn, you scared him off. even i have a hard time doin that. yo you should teach me how to do that so I don’t have to- aw great now you’re blubberin. uh… there there little guy, itll be alright?

A nasty snot filled sniff came from Kankri, making Meenah retract her hand from almost sarcastically patting him on that back. It was just as well, since Meenah honestly didn’t really want to get caught up in whatever was going on. All she wanted to know was the details of the situation, but even then her desire of juicy gossip was starting to wane thin.

What did I d9 Meenah? I didn’t even mean half 9f the things that I said! 9h, I knew I never sh9uld have even c9me here. I sh9uld have just stayed in my 9wn c9rner 9f the dream 6u66les like I was planning 9n d9ing 6ef9re P9rrim dragged me here. Why did y9u have t9 leave this awful p9is9n 9ut f9r me t9 drink? Y9u kn9w y9u sh9uld really 6e m9re c9nsiderate a69ut the kind 9f 6everages y9u leave 9ut. What if s9me9ne with a l9w t9lerance f9r alc9h9l had 6een f99lish en9ugh t9 take a drink 9r tw9? This night c9uld have ended up a l9t w9rse than it already has… 

okay first off, this is my party and i can do what i want. secondly, i don’t even know why you’re stressin over this. this is cronus we’re talking about, he’s just trying to make you feel bad so you’ll follow him. id keep your claws outta that mess if i were you

Meenah, I kn9w y9u’ve kn9wn him l9nger than I have, 6ut t9 6e frank with y9u I 6elieve I kn9w him 6etter than y9u ever c9uld, and he is n9t d9ing that, at least n9t right n9w… Did y9u hear anything 9f what I said t9 him?

no, and i don’t really care about it anymore, but if you got him runnin off like that it was probably something he needed to hear. it’s whale past due for you to stop treatin him like a grub

I… d9n’t 6elieve I kn9w what y9u’re refering t9

oh come on now, you know exactly what im sayin. whenever someone so much as breathes wrong in his direction you come in with your whistle defending his honor like some sorta knight. news flash, you’re a seer, not a knight, and all you’re reely doin is makin him look look more pathetic than he already is

Regret clug to Kankri’s heart about as heavily as the smell of beer on him, however that didn’t keep him from being offended by Meenah’s claim. If anything it only made him more upset. Of course Cronus was his friend, and of course he would want to keep people from talking bad about him, but he was in no way trying to baby him. He stood up straight for the first time in what seemed like an eternity and glared at the fuschia blood. There wasn’t the same rage in his eyes there was before, but there certainly was a newly renewed sense of confidence in him. While his head wasn’t completely clear, it was at least somewhat refreshing to feel more like himself again. 

Y9u kn9w Meenah, I’m really n9t in the m99d t9 6e talked d9wn t9 right n9w.

when are you ever-

Shut up, I’m n9t d9ne speaking.

Meenah’s eyes widened just bit in surprise. It wasn’t that she wasn’t used to Kankri acting as if he owned the place, but it was more of the manner of his tone. Normally he’d keep a distinguished poise and talk as if he were lecturing a grub that had broken a neighbor’s window and needed to be taught the importance of “morals” or whatever it was Kankri was always prattling on about, which always seemed rather vain on his part to her, but now he just seemed plain aggressive. It was jarring, to say the least, but at the same time it renewed her interest in hearing him out. (It wasn’t really like she had much else to do anyways, not unless she wanted to sabotage her own party, which honestly wasn’t really out of the question.) 

alright then, go on, blow me outta the water. tell me whats so great about him. im dyin to here ya

The way Meenah gave and upward nod and smiled at him, although obviously sarcastic given the fact that her tone of voice was as well, instilled a bit of pride inside of Kankri. Here he had the attention of the heiress to the Beforan throne, and although none of that mattered anymore, it still gave him a boost almost strong enough to make him forget that all of the things he said to Cronus. 

I’m n9t g9ing t9 6e the 9ne t9 tell y9u that he’s perfect, n9 9ne can meet that high 9f a standard, especially n9t him, 6ut y9u and every9ne else always seem t9 d9u6t him n9 matter what he tries t9 d9. While I kn9w his meth9ds 9f appr9ach aren’t exactly the 6est, he still is trying, and yet all any9ne seems t9 d9 is push him away! What I d9n’t understand is that even after all this time, after all the changes that every9ne’s g9ne thr9ugh n9w that we’re dead, is that y9u never even give me- I mean him a chance t9 pr9perly hear him 9ut! I’m sure if y9u actually listened t9 him f9r a change y9u’d actually see him f9r what he really is.

Kankri huffed, and there was a tense pause between the two trolls. Meenah’s smile had dissapated and all that remained of the faith she put into Kankri, however fake it may have been, went completely out the door. 

listen, you reeeely wanna know why I wave cronus off every chance I get?

It certainly w9uld 6e helpful t9 understand y9ur perspective 9n the situati9n

Meenah sighed and crossed her arms. If she had any pupils they’d be directed towards the ceiling, away from Kankri's fixed gaze on her. 

we actually used to be pretty good friends at one point, back when we were reel young, almost to the point where i almost coulda called him my moirail for a bit there. but ooooh no, he just had to ruin it by pushin things just a tide too far. before I scuttled off to the moon, he begged me to stay, and just would not stop till i eventually just told him to fuck off, at which point he just bugged on me by gettin aranea to relay messages to me. hes just so cod damn clingy and creepy! ya sea why i cant get too close to him? hes just gonna be clingin to me like barnacles on the bottom of a ship. i cant believe im havin to actually explain this right now, and i just cannot understand how you tolerate even a single second around him when he’s alwaves either flirtin or whinin or some shit.

Ouch. Kankri felt like he’d been punched in the chest. Meenah echoed the sentiment of his words to the other seadweller almost perfectly and, needless to say, but most of the pride and confidence that he had been reinvigorated with dissipated in a manner of seconds. It was fairly obvious as well, seeing as how when he went to speak again, it took him a couple moments to finish stammering and actually get his words out. 

Well, surely if y9u were that cl9se t9 him 6ef9re y9u’d 6e willing t9 rec9ncile? I mean, I’m n9t pr9p9sing that y9u d9 right this minute, 6ut w9uldn’t it 6e w9rth a sh9t? Y9u did invite him here after all, did y9u n9t? If y9u didn’t have any intenti9ns 9f 6eing friends with him, then why even 69ther telling him t9 c9me in the first place?

whale, i just thought itd be funny to watch him make a fucking fool of himself to be honest

Of course. 

Kankri sighed and moved his gaze, now dimmed from all the life and vigor that had briefly shone through, down at the ground. He felt absolutely miserable. Even if the music had died down a bit, his head still hurt like hell, and the barrage of emotions attacking him wasn’t exactly helping. He wondered how Cronus felt at the moment. Was he even still here? Knowing him, he might still be sulking around the area in hopes that someone might try to cheer him up. However, if his words really did affect him as terribly as they seemed to have, then there’s no telling where he could have ended up. Kankri started nervously scratching his arm with one hand while he bit down on the other. His vision was starting to become blurry again with tears, and his body was beginning to shake. He pressed his back against the wall and slowly sank down all the way to the floor, where he pressed his knees tightly to his chest. He shoved his face into his knees, seeing as how he couldn’t get his eyes to focus on a single point properly, and his fangs drew a bit of bright red blood from his finger. The metallic taste mixed with the salty tears and after taste of the beer to make a sickening combination that only served to worsen his state of mind. 

He didn’t notice when Meenah had left, or even how long it had been since he had slipped down to the floor. Time in the dream bubbles was already hard enough to keep track of, even when he wasn’t having a panic attack, but at some point, he felt a hand familiar hand, characterized by its long fingers and pointed nails that gracefully move over his sweater, place itself gently on his shoulder. The mutant blood jumped and attempted to wipe his eyes to get a proper look at who was there, though he already knew who it was. 

Kankri? What’s wro+ng? Meenah to+ld me yo+u were upset and I came o+ver as so+o+n as I co+uld., Porrim asked with a tilted head and a worrying look 

He opened his mouth, but unsurprisingly he was only able to choke out a few syllables before inevitably giving up. Failing to speak, no matter how predictable that outcome may have been, only made his self confidence drop even lower. Before he could wallow and weep any longer though, he felt his friend’s arms wrap around him. Almost instantly a wave of warming comfort enveloped his senses, attempting to drown out what his brain was telling him he deserved. For a moment he attempted to fight it, but very quickly fell into the embrace. There was a faint pricking in the back of his head that came whenever Porrim tried to coddle him, but he ignored it for the most part, because damn if it didn’t ease his pain when she stroked her fingers through his short, messy black strands. 

I’m so+rry Kanny, I sho+uldn’t have bro+ught yo+u here. I knew it was a bad idea but I went with it anyways because I tho+ught yo+u sho+uld get o+ut mo+re. I sho+uld have kno+wn better than to+ think yo+u co+uld handle all the no+ise and the peo+ple here. Co+me, let’s go+ ahead and get o+ut o+f here.

And there it was, the excessive coddling. Even after what had surely been eons, she was still acting as if he were a grub that didn’t know how to handle himself. Kankri managed to wiggle free from Porrim’s grasp, and when she reached out to him again he swatted her hand away with a little too much force. He nearly started crying again when her lips formed into a frown, but managed to pull himself together enough to sit up straight. 

Thank y9u, P9rrim, 6ut I d9n’t need y9u telling me what I can and can’t d9.

That line didn’t have nearly the right kind of emotional impact he wanted it to have. His voice was still a bit shaky and scratchy and his eyes were still bloodshot, but he stood as tall and as proudly as someone who just came off the floor crying could. 

Porrim stood as well and raised her hand as if to try and reach to him again, but quickly retracted it. 

Well, in that case, wo+uld yo+u like to+ talk abo+ut it then? I kno+w yo+u tend to+ have a way with bo+ttling up yo+ur feelings instead o+f actually addressing them directly. We co+uld step o+utside if yo+u wo+uld if yo+u wish.

Porrim almost wanted to add that she wasn’t always sure if Kankri bottled up his feelings as a way to make him suffer more needlessly, and therefore giving him something to complain about, but held her tongue. It was a good thing she didn’t, however, seeing as how Kankri seemed upset enough without her pointing out his flaws or accusing him of anything. 

The syllables were nearly formed on his tongue to voice his objection to talking anything out, but he froze when he realized that Cronus could still very well be outside. He’d had the thought earlier, but only now was he really in the right state of mind to do anything about it. 

Listen I...need t9 d9 s9mething. I’ll explain later when I have the time, 6ut I need t9 g9. N9w.

Porrim sighed as Kankri made his way towards the door. She could go after him, but it honestly wouldn’t be worth it. Besides, she was having a good conversation with Damara and wanted to see where it would lead to. 

**Author's Note:**

> yo this is my first fic on here, i got more shit in the works but i felt like this was good cutoff point for now. if you got this far then shit man thanks for reading, comment or something idk.
> 
> (I had to come back from last night cus there were a few grammar errors that were bugging the hell outta me. maybe i shouldnt write shit at 12 in the morning lmao)


End file.
